Japan’s dependence on foreign food continues to deepen. Food imports surpassed ¥10 trillion for the third consecutive year in 2024—nearly nine times the value of exports. A combination of global competition for food, abnormal weather, and the weakening yen has driven costs ever higher...

Shizuoka Prefecture is steaming up the travel scene with a unique twist: transforming decommissioned buses into mobile wood-fired saunas. The latest addition, Car No. 3 of the “Sabbath” fleet, debuted at Gotemba Premium Outlets with a lively “Birthday Steaming Festival.”

In the quiet city of Yachiyo, Chiba, a Turkish man named Ozgur Adiyaman and his Japanese wife are turning a deeply personal challenge into a story of hope and connection. What began as a journey of love between Istanbul and Japan took an unexpected turn when illness struck soon after their move...